To think accountancy isn't a "keyworker" job?

[hannabull]

One of the parents at school is a self employed accountant who works from home, but sending kids into school. The other parent works out of the home (not a key worker) how is this allowed? Claims to be an essential worker (doesn't work for the nhs or anything, just accounts for small businesses)

In small business who do you think sorts out the wages, pays the bills and send out invoices to keep people working.

My other half’s an accountant he has to process everyone’s furlough pay!!! He has to be so on the ball and he’s glued to his screen all day which means my son is left alone a lot. Without accountants you won’t get paid.... not so essential then?

@TheKeatingFive

where furloughed for several months last year so they are taking the piss

What’s last year got to do with it?

If they where that essential they would have been workinging ! Not being furloughed for 7.

My husband is a corporate accountant in a bank. Last time he worked 20 hour days on the roll out of the government loan programme. I would say he is pretty essential.

Schools have protocols and don't/can't just provide these spaces willy nilly. Op would it be OK with you for her kids to have the place if she worked outside the home? How do you know the dc don't have an EHCP and need to be in school, regardless of the parent's work situation?

I have no idea who in dc's school is using keyworker places as it's no concern of mine. My dc could have a place but dh and I juggle between us so one of us is around while the other works. That's our choice though and dc don't have additional needs.

And as most doctors, consultants, pharmacists etc etc are self employed locums it means they need their tax returns submitted before end of this month or there could be the real possibility they won't be working if HMRC dont get their tax returns. Seeing as all these key workers as pretty much up to their eyeballs with very sick people then I expect they are relying heavily on someone else to do this for them. Finances are very important right now and if that parent meets the correct government criteria then they are entitled to send their children to school whether you like it or not

Normally I might not have considered them to be, but as the ones I know are doing end of year accounts for the January deadline and sorting out all the furlough payments, so they are essential. If they don't work, nobody gets paid their furlough and gets massive fines for late tax.

@ceeveebee

Anyway guys, quick, it’s 8pm, time to go and clap for accountants!

👏👏👏👏👏

Wages. Tax. I'd consider these pretty damned essential.

@Wearywithteens

I know a Cathedral ‘door greeter’ who has claimed an ‘essential worker’ school place! Bonkers.

Yes, but the door will have a lock & key hole ,thus requiring a key. 🔑 worker

@ceeveebee Anyway guys it's 8pm. Time to go and clap those accountants.

And the lawyers, don't forget to clap the lawyers. Or society will collapse.

@ceeveebee

Anyway guys, quick, it’s 8pm, time to go and clap for accountants!

This wins the Internet for the day 👏

Surely anyone who HAS to work due to not being furloughed is essential. I couldn’t take my child to my office and I work in commercial insurance, I’m not essential to the health of the country but essential to others being able to work as if they don’t have insurance they can’t. That makes my job essential and me a key worker.

If they where that essential they would have been workinging ! Not being furloughed for 7.

Not necessarily, seasonality plays a role in lots of businesses. January is the key time period for accountants. And plenty of places are much busier now than they were in March.

Could have essential worker clients and businesses. Think outside the box!

Financial services are regarded as key workers

Wages, tax etc, all doable from home. Yes essential but a school place is not essential for someone to be able to do these roles. Yes it’s easier, but isn’t everything easier without trying to home school. Quite frankly 99% of accountants operate fine most Friday afternoons after the pub.

I think people assume that jobs are divided into ‘Key Worker’ or ‘Furloughed’
Husband is logistics, not key worker, not furloughed. I’m marketing, not key worker, not furloughed. Kids homeschooling is pretty non existent because we are both working! Doesn’t mean I’ll send them in.

In the email we received from the school, financial services were included in the keyworker category.

Of course it’s essential,if businesses have no accounts then they could be in serious trouble

There's a list on the government website of what they class as "critical" or key workers OP. Financial services is one of them.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision#critical-workers

DH is a chartered accountant doing his damned best to manage his office from home and get tax returns out on time. I too am working full time from home (not financial business, but bloody busy). Neither of us are entitled enough to consider ourselves as key workers, though a lot of people suddenly do. We've had a letter home from school saying they have three times as many children requesting key worker places compared to the last lockdown, essentially begging people not to be so selfish and keep children home wherever possible.

Hmmmmm

I think I could probably squeeze myself into the key worker definition as I prosecute people for the government (I don’t do the court bit, I do decision making). I can do this from home though.

However, I’ve had a letter from Ds’ school (he’s in yr 2 and we’re in London) saying that lots of children had been sent in unwell today, and had to be sent home, some with Coronavirus symptoms. So I’m pretty glad he’s not going in!

Dd has actually been offered a place at her school but I’ve turned it down for the moment due to safety concerns as she has asthma.

So I really don’t think now is the moment to rush to send kids in for their own sake unless you really need to. And I do realise many people actually need to.

However my whole set up is going to come to a grinding halt no doubt when exh inevitably decides he can’t split the time with me after all!

People don’t seem to be able to grasp that accountancy is not actually part of financial services.

If they are classed as key workers why shouldn’t they. Once again a race to the bottom with competitive disadvantage on MN. It’s amazing how many perfect parents and citizens there are on MN!